Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT

WCDT 4451-4455 (the 1st through 5th of February, 2021)

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cesium133:
Hopefully this one doesn’t lead up to Clinton being hit up for money again.

HeavyP:

--- Quote from: de_la_Nae on 01 Feb 2021, 05:59 ---*gestures at comic 4449*

y'all literally overlooking the fact that he literally says one of the reasons he's feeling anxious about this is because Eliot's a man, implying that this anxiety tastes different from the anxiety when he dated Emily.

it's not actually nearly as big a leap in logic as some of you are making it out to be, for reasons I can only guess/pattern match.

--- End quote ---

That's a valid point, but I still really don't see that as toxic masculinity.  There's no indication whatsoever that Clinton buys into what toxic masculinity is selling in terms of relationships.  He presumably always liked women, and now he's been presented with a situation where he likes a man, and it's a new dimension that he's having to figure out how to navigate.  He's not fighting his attraction to Elliot, he shows no signs of thinking that being bisexual or gay is "bad", and overall he seems very comfortable with an identity and life outlook that doesn't fit the stereotypical "manly man" that toxic masculinity preaches.  His big sister is a transwoman, and while he seems irritated at aspects of her overly-helpful personality, it's clear that he really loves her without question.  I just really see someone who is just a bit overwhelmed at a major paradigm shift in his personal lovemap, but in a "a whole bunch of new options and feelings opened up and I need time to sift through them" way and not a "THE ONLY ROAD THAT'S RIGHT IS STRAIGHT!" way.

Gnabberwocky:
In response to SmilingCat: I see what you mean, but I still disagree. I think that with the situation with the Augustus dad combined with Clinton's excuses in the Emily relationship, there's a lot of early evidence for toxic masculinity being a factor in Clinton's life, at least at some point. That said, I absolutely understand why you think Willow's jumping to conclusions, because the last time we did see any conclusive evidence was over a thousand strips ago.

In response to HeavyP: That all makes sense, but I just want to point out that you don't necessarily need to buy into toxic masculinity to be influenced by it. Being aware of it isn't a free escape from it.

HeavyP:

--- Quote from: Gnabberwocky on 01 Feb 2021, 09:33 ---In response to HeavyP: That all makes sense, but I just want to point out that you don't necessarily need to buy into toxic masculinity to be influenced by it. Being aware of it isn't a free escape from it.

--- End quote ---

100% agree, and that's a good personal reminder.  I'm a cis-dude and I can completely attest that it'll get you all sneaky-like if you're not paying attention, even when you know what it is and how it affects you.  The human mind is a mess that's simultaneously horrible and wonderful.

Guairdegan:
Today is the second mention of "toxic masculinity" in the comic. It's very disheartening to hear that I'm poison simply for having the audacity to be born male. I fear for the mental health of boys being constantly told that they're poison because they act the way their nature compels them to act. Boys should be free to wrestle, be physical, be rough and tumble, and just be boys without the fear of being told they're defective. Contrary to current opinion, little boys aren't defective little girls that don't know how to behave. Given love and respect, boys will learn love and respect. Given a little guidance, boys will learn when to be physical and when to be quiet. As an example: My wife and I enjoyed little day trips in pre-covid times. One of our trips found us in a small restaurant in a small Texas town. As we were leaving, there was a few people waiting for tables. Between us and the door was a family of five. Mom, Dad, and three boys of roughly 5 to 7 years old. The boys were playing, but not being loud or rude, just burning a little energy. As we approached, Dad spoke one simple word. All he said was "Boys" in a low tone that meant "pay attention". At that one word the three boys looked around, saw my wife, an older gray haired Grandma, and immediately stepped aside and stood still. They weren't toxic, they weren't poison, they were boys. Mom and Dad knew they needed to play like boys, but some would have them think that their need to be slightly boisterous somehow made them defective. I'm sure I'll get blasted for my opinion, but just once I'd like to see someone refer to "toxic femininity" when referencing the way girls act (I raised two daughters, don't try to tell me little girls are all angels) to see how quickly the torches and pitchforks would appear.

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